May 22, 2017Comments Off on Multiple Locations to Get Lawn, Landscape and Garden Help

May 22, 2017 by Larry Williams The University of Florida has offices in all 67 Florida Counties. These Extension offices are part of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and they offer you the “front door” to UF experts. UF/IFAS Extension in Okaloosa County now offers assistance to citizens with lawn, landscape and garden questions at ...

May 15, 2017 by Larry Williams A little imagination, a decorative container and appropriate plants can turn a bare spot into a splash of color. Consider using a container of annuals to add color to a backyard deck or a paved entrance way. Or what about that area under the tree where grass doesn’t want to grow and where it ...

by Larry Williams A number of summers ago, I noticed whiteflies on a confederate rose plant in my landscape. I considered using an insecticide to control the whiteflies but decided against doing so after taking a closer look. What I found was a population of ladybugs – eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. Ladybug adults and larvae eat whiteflies, as well as ...

By Jennifer Bearden Regardless of whether you are a homeowner, land manager or farmer; when you spray an herbicide, you are a pesticide applicator and must follow certain rules. One of them is the Florida Organo-Auxin Herbicide Rule 5E-2.033. Organo-auxin herbicides are very volatile and can drift onto off-target plants if not managed properly. Tomato plants are especially sensitive to ...

by Larry Williams Many people treat their lawn with an insecticide when they see mole crickets in the spring or at the first sign of a brown area in their lawn. What they don’t understand is the biology of this pest. Mole crickets spend the winter as adults in the soil. As temperatures warm in late February and March, adult ...

March 20, 2017Comments Off on Warm Season Wildlife Food Plots (with audio)

March 20, 2017 by Jennifer Bearden There are many ways to improve white-tailed deer habitat. One of those ways is planting agricultural crops in food plots. Food plots are only one component of deer habitat management. Other components include prescribed fire, thinning pines, and promote diversity of trees, shrubs, and grasses. Food plots are used as either attractants or supplemental ...

March 17, 2017 by Larry Williams Be careful to not overuse pesticides. Pesticides are good tools when used properly. But overuse of pesticides in our lawns, landscapes and gardens can result in a number of problems. Insects can become resistant to insecticides when a product is repeatedly used. Because many insect species reproduce rapidly, having many generations per year, a ...

March 01, 2017 by Jennifer Bearden There are several variables in the vaccination equation: the people, the animals, and the vaccine. All these variables work together to create immunity to diseases in our livestock. With so many variables, things can sometimes go wrong and the animal fails to develop the desired immune response. Put another way; the animal can get ...

February 14, 2017Comments Off on Monensin Toxicity in Horses (with audio)

February 14, 2017 by Jennifer Bearden Several cases of monensin toxicity in horses have been reported in the Southeastern U.S. over that last few months. Monensin is an ionophore antibiotic that is commonly added to livestock feeds such as poultry and cattle feeds. This is a safe feed additive for ruminants and poultry, but horses are very sensitive to monensin. ...

The University of Florida Extension Service program for Okaloosa County is a public service program on WAAZ-FM and WJSB-AM. All questions should be directed to either Larry Williams or Jennifer Bearden at the following: